[mike_malone]

It narrows as it extends to the back and falls off to the sides particularly left. It requires a precise shot  and repels a long one.

[Ira Fishman]

I think that there are many good ones because the green is one of key ways to make a Par 5 interesting. But my favorite has no real close second: the 14th at Woking. Danger, embarrassment, and a libation all only a couple of feet away.


Ira

[Jon Cavalier]

It narrows as it extends to the back and falls off to the sides particularly left. It requires a precise shot  and repels a long one.

Interestingly, that’s probably the one green at Stonewall that really needs a fix. That left side has settled, leaving a large portion of the green completely unpinnable and the rest of the green very severe. The left side, or at least the front left quarter, probably needs to come up a foot or so.


On that note, the green at 3 North is really good, as is 8 North.

[mike_malone]

Jon,


The caddie agrees with you. I say no. It makes for a challenging par five.

[Tommy Williamsen]

The first one that comes to mind is 15 at Pine Valley. I generally will have some kind of short iron but the green is narrow and sloped in the front with bunker left and fall off right. The green in the back is the only place on the green is relatively flat.

[Jon Cavalier]

Jon,


The caddie agrees with you. I say no. It makes for a challenging par five.

It definitely makes for a tense third shot and some wildly tough and interesting chips, especially if you miss long or in that right bunker.


I don’t really have any issue with the severity myself - I like the green. It’s the lack of pinnable area that bothers me. That green is probably pinnable on less than half its surface.

[mike_malone]

Tommy,
At the end of that hole they could put a twenty foot wide funnel and I would still make a ten.

[Terry Lavin]

Biased, homer pick: 11 at Beverly. 611 yard hole with some blind shots into a huge, sloping back-to-front green with a hogback on the right side and the green has some big bunkers left and right.


One of the very best legit three-shotters  I’ve played and the fun’s just begun when one has reached the putting surface.

[Tim Martin]

Willie Park Jr.’s 490 yard 18th hole at Shuttle Meadow CC-Reachable in two provided the centerline bunker called “Big Mouth” is avoided on the tee shot. Finally the triple tiered green and most especially a “late“ pin makes this hole a compelling finish.

[mike_malone]

 I like Ira’s thought that the green is a key part of what makes it a par five. On that basis I will be a homer and choose 17 at Rolling Green.


It has a false front to start for the front pin. Then it runs uphill on the right side which allows a roll back possibility. The left side however runs off down the hill.


Putts in the middle of the green can have serious break.


It makes it a three shot hole.

[Tim Fitz]

After a terrific long weekend at Prairie Dunes, I am still thinking about the green at the end of the 17th hole.  Lots of internal contouring (the so called muffins or rolls), and funneling that can certainly send mis-hit well off the green.  The par 5s aren't long, but the greens are tough to hold when coming in with a long iron.  And if you end up in the wrong quadrant, a two putt can be a real challenge.

[Jeff_Brauer]

I've told this story before - Both here and in my book - but here goes.....


[size=0pt]A golf course architect once reached a par 5 green in two shots, nearly made eagle and “settled for” birdie, resulting in high fives all around.  [/size]He was thrilled to have a reasonable putt for eagle/birdie.  The irony was that he was the club’s consulting architect and (like many designers) had recommended adding contour to this green to “toughen it up” and “defend par” on this short hole, following the long held golf course architecture theory of “proportional punishment” whereby greens on short approach shots are usually made tougher to compensate.
What occurred next could only be described as a “lightbulb moment. “Why, he wondered, do golf course architects focus so much on preventing exactly what golfers want – good scores?” If we listened to our own gut, might design differently.

Just saying.....not every par 5 green ought to be great in the sense that it is hard to negotiate.  Because, well, birdies are fun!

[Brian Finn]

The first one that comes to mind for me is the 3rd hole at Royal Cinque Ports (Deal).  Among the best greens on the course, which I consider to be among the best set of greens I've ever seen.

[Mike Hendren]

The 15th at Glen Mills features a biarritz at a tough angle to reach in two.  I witnessed The Redanman do just that and can his eagle putt many moons ago.


Bogey

[mike_malone]

Brian,
Every time I play there we putt it several times.

[mike_malone]

I've told this story before - Both here and in my book - but here goes.....


[size=0pt]A golf course architect once reached a par 5 green in two shots, nearly made eagle and “settled for” birdie, resulting in high fives all around.  [/size]He was thrilled to have a reasonable putt for eagle/birdie.  The irony was that he was the club’s consulting architect and (like many designers) had recommended adding contour to this green to “toughen it up” and “defend par” on this short hole, following the long held golf course architecture theory of “proportional punishment” whereby greens on short approach shots are usually made tougher to compensate.
What occurred next could only be described as a “lightbulb moment. “Why, he wondered, do golf course architects focus so much on preventing exactly what golfers want – good scores?” If we listened to our own gut, might design differently.

Just saying.....not every par 5 green ought to be great in the sense that it is hard to negotiate.  Because, well, birdies are fun!

Particularly if you overcome a little challenge.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Just saying.....not every par 5 green ought to be great in the sense that it is hard to negotiate.  Because, well, birdies are fun!

Ballhack has some of the wildest greens around. Yet, the greens on the par fives are relatively flat and among the most benign on the course. All are reachable for the longer player whose name is not Tommy. A back pin on the ninth is difficult but a front pin is very accessible. Evidently Lester agrees with you.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Lester is a smart guy, obviously!

[Ted Sturges]

The 17th at Broadmoor CC in Indianapolis.  One of the coolest greens you will ever see. 


TS

[Peter Flory]

I always thought that 18th green on the North course at OFCC was very interesting. 

[Bill Gayne]

The first hole at Doonbeg with the green tucked into the dune. The dunes feel towering when standing on the green and envelope you on three sides. There's a devilish little bunker front left in the corner of the green and dune. It's a reachable par five that is receptive to a well struck running shot or a short iron. From what I understand the amphitheater setting didn't occur naturally rather it was years of farmers taking sand out of the dune and just happened to work. It's arguably the best hole on the course.

I haven't been to Doonbeg since 2013 and from what I understand they've made several changes that have improved the course. I sure hope they didn't monkey around with number one.

[Brett Meyer]

The first one that comes to mind for me is the 3rd hole at Royal Cinque Ports (Deal).  Among the best greens on the course, which I consider to be among the best set of greens I've ever seen.

That's an excellent choice but I think that the 16th (I think it's a par 5 now) is even better. It's my go-to pick for 'best green that I've seen.' Both are probably among the dozen-or-so best greens that I've seen.


On a related note, the rolling last 150 yards of fairway leading into the 3rd green might be my favorite fairway in golf.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Now that I think about it more the old ninth at RND was superb. While reaching the green in two was very possible for even folks like me, getting on the green was nigh on impossible. I'd hit it up the right side of the green and pitch on, which was tricky enough. The bunker in the front of the green had a nose that stretched into the green and the green was severely sloped back to front. I think the green is still there I guess it has been redesigned as a par four. It was a great hole.

[Peter Flory]

An obvious green to point out is #5 at Lawsonia with its sunken back right bowl. 

[Jim Sherma]

The front of Ballyhack's 9th is easier than the back unless you spin it off and it feeds down to the drain 50 yards down below the green on the right. Yes, I have first hand knowledge of said shot.


An exceptional set of par 5 greens is at Hershey CC's East course. All three have some significant movement and changing the pins makes for a meaningful change in the proper strategies. The 6th hole might be the most interesting of the bunch but all three make for a really good set of 5's in my opinion.   


   

Just saying.....not every par 5 green ought to be great in the sense that it is hard to negotiate.  Because, well, birdies are fun!

Ballhack has some of the wildest greens around. Yet, the greens on the par fives are relatively flat and among the most benign on the course. All are reachable for the longer player whose name is not Tommy. A back pin on the ninth is difficult but a front pin is very accessible. Evidently Lester agrees with you.

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